could run beneath part of a plant in north japan. >>> nra met to evaluate the results of a survey they carried out this month at the higashidori nuclear plant. they said they can't accept the operator's contention that groundwater caused a shift in the layers of the earth. the experts will hear from representatives of the electric company next week and then reach their conclusion. the operator won't have to scrap the reactors even if the nra determines the faults are active. no key facilities sit on the faults. but the utility will have to review the plant's earthquake resistant measures which could delay the resumption of operations. >> translator: the projected earthquake movement will be quite different since the present projection does not consider the existence of active faults in the compound. >>> earlier i spoke with a reporter for his insight. these plants have been operating for quite a number of years. why are we only learning of these issues today? >> people in japan have been concerned about the stability of the earth beneath nuclear plants since the quake and tsunami

the facility. the five member team returned to ohi to inspect a trench the nra had ordered plant operator kansai electric to double the length of the trench after the first onsite inspection in november. crews dug it to 100 meters. representatives of the nuclear watchdog say they will ask kansai electric to shut down the plant if inspectors conclude an active fault runs underneath it. government guidelines ban the construction of key nuclear facilities on active faults. kansai electric executives insist land slips and not a fault caused the fissures below ohi. after friday's inspection, the shik zach shimazaki said they will look for answers. >> translator: we'll carefully analyze what we saw today. it won't be an easy task determining what it is. >> the team of experts will be back at the plant on saturday. then they will meet early next year to produce an assessment based on the results of their inspection. >>> nra experts are checking the ground beneath a number of power plants in this earthquake-prone country. their reports on some of them could keep the facilities off line for the fu

they say they will need more time to finish their plans. >>> the nra decided to base the new guidelines on actual radiation readings. after the fukushima accident, authorities failed to get residents to evacuate promptly even though they had information from a radiation forecast system. the nra secretary is proposing the immediate evacuation of residents within 5 to 30 kilometers of a radiation plant when they reach 500 millisieverts per hour. they call for evacuation within a week's time if the level is at 20 millisieverts or more. but the panel of experts did not reach a consensus. some said the authority had simply decided on a level half that of international standard without enough scientific basis. others said the nra should adopt the international standard for the time being and continue discussions to set japan's own standards. >>> the operator of the crippled fukushima daiichi nuclear plant is asking for more public money. they say the compensation payments are higher than the initial estimate. tokyo electric power company has asked a state-backed fund for $8.1 billion to make

considered his organization an example when they built their new nuclear regulatory authority, or nra. >> and what we would like to do is give the new nra the benefit of the mistakes we've made. we've learned those lessons. we can pass on that experience, and any time -- >> reporter: one key lesson magwood wants to share with japanese officials is that politicians and nuclear regulation don't mix. >> independence of the regulatory agency is an essential key to assuring the right kinds of decisions are made, the right kind of safety processes put in place. in the united states, nrc is designed to basically ignore entirely the political winds around it. if, for example, president obama had lost the election and governor romney had won, it would not have affected our work. >> reporter: nrc officials are reviewing the safety of u.s. nuclear facilities following the fukushima accident. magood says they have learned what happened there. one lesson involves filters. the absorb radioactive material when plants are vented. the fukushima plant didn't have them so more contamination was able to

of major facilities directly above active faults. the chairman of the nra had this to say -- >> translator: under the current circumstances, it's my view that we cannot grant a permit to restart the reactor. >> reporter: the authority will hold an off shore meeting to make a final determination on fate of the nuclear facility. if they conclude that the d-1 fault is active, the plant's operator will not be allowed to restart the number two reactor. he may have to be decommissioned. he'll be the second japanese nuclear plant slated for decommissioning. the fun sheema daiichi plant was closed after being crippled by last year's earthquake and tsunami. many other nuclear plants in japan could have active faults running directly underneath them. they include the oi plant which the government allowed to go back online in july. these finding are certain to raise questions about the government's ability to make decisions concerning the regulation of nuclear energy. yoichiro tatiwa, nhk world. >>> people in japan are weighing their options in preparing to make a decision that will effect their futu

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